Still places available as Sistema starts its second musical year

Children in Grades one and two at Andover Elementary School had the opportunity to try several instruments when Sistema representatives Dave Halpine, not seen, as well as Emmanuel Ortega, left, and Monica Dube, right, visited on Sept. 11. There are still spots available in the daily orchestral program which is provided free of charge to youngsters. Photo: CORINNE FITZHERBERT/THE VICTORIA STAR

CORINNE FITZHERBERT  Grand Falls Victoria Star -- September 12, 2014

Music lessons are usually expensive but children who join Sistema pay nothing while reaping huge benefits from being part of an orchestra.

That’s one of the messages Dave Halpine of Sistema was spreading as he gave presentations to Grade 1 and 2 students at Andover Elementary School on Thursday, Sept. 11.

“Go home and talk to your parents,” he said to the youngsters. “We’d like to have a big orchestra with lots of musicians.”

Children’s-sized violins, cellos and as of this year, the double bass, are provided to the students to play.

Sistema is based at Mah-Sos School on Tobique First Nation and is now beginning its second year. The program is open to students from Mah-Sos and Andover Elementary School who attend the intensive orchestral program every day after school. 

“Basically, we have spots for about eight to 10 more students,” Halpine said. “We have 26 who are returning and we have about 18 new students so far.”

Transportation to Mah-Sos School from Andover Elementary and back is provided every day along with snacks.

Halpine was accompanied on his visit to Andover Elementary by Emmanuel Ortega and Monica Dube. Ortega works with Sistema as well as the music program at Mah-Sos School and Dube is a new addition to Sistema this year.

“Monica will be teaching the violin,” he said.

Ortega and Dube played two pieces of classical music for the students before allowing the youngsters the opportunity to join in by taking turns plucking the strings of the instruments.

That’s just how children who enrolled in the program started out last fall but by the spring of 2014, they were reading music and playing pieces together as an orchestra. 

“It really is an amazing opportunity,” Andover Elementary Principal Ann Marie Berry Wattie said.

Sistema New Brunswick is established in several communities including Moncton, Saint John and Richibucto as well as Tobique First Nation. The program got its start in Venezuela and Ken MacLeod, a developer of the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra, visited there and brought Sistema back to this province.

The mission of the program is “to promote the collective practice of music through symphony orchestras in order to inspire children and youth to achieve their full potential and to acquire values that favor their growth and have a positive impact on their lives and society.” 

The local Sistema students performed several concerts last year and those in the audience were amazed by what the children had accomplished. Standing ovations were common at their performances.